Nowadays, numerous appliances make it possible to display audiovisual programs broadcast from a broadcasting network or downloaded from a high-speed digital network. These appliances include high-definition television screens, television receivers comprising in an integrated manner a means of receiving programs and a screen, the receivers making it possible to receive programs and to send them to a screen. The user can also display a program locally from a recording unit, such as for example a video recorder making it possible to record a program on magnetic tape. Recently, other means of storage have appeared making it possible to record with great flexibility of usage. These means are, for example, the DVD player/recorder (DVD-RAM), or the hard disk (HDD). These means make it possible to record programs received in real time from a broadcasting network. Access to the audiovisual sequences recorded is very fast using the indexing of the data, something which was not possible in respect of a magnetic tape that had to be wound on before reaching a specific sequence. The integration of a recording means into a receiver increases its cost.
Patent application EP 711 076 describes an interactive communication system encouraging a user to watch adverts and capable of gathering the reaction of the user in response to these advertising sequences. Patent application GB 2 141 907 describes a video game controlled by a means of payment such as a coin-operated machine. Advertising sequences are recorded and automatically incorporated into the video sequences of the game. Japanese patent application JP10041777 describes a means for detecting the presence of a user in front of his television screen and a means for changing the content displayed as a function of the user watching the screen. The content displayed may be advertising sequences. Japanese patent application JP06250738 describes a means for displaying an advertising sequence on a display screen intended for a “karaoke” application, a presence detector causes the content of the screen to change and allows it to be used for the time of a piece of music.
In the consumer world in which we are currently living, advertising holds an important place, the budget related to this activity is considerable in the audiovisual sector. Advertisers pay fees to broadcasters in respect of the broadcasting of advertising messages that will be viewed by the users. These advertising messages are sent between two audiovisual programs, or in the middle of a program. Television channels and program broadcasters are in large part financed by the broadcasting fees paid by advertisers. If the messages are broadcast with the aid of a unidirectional broadcasting network, the broadcasters do not know the number of users present in front of their sets during the broadcasting of the programs. They use surveys to ascertain audience figures, but this information is always approximate.
The object of the present invention is to offer another alternative to a user wishing to acquire and to use a receiver of audiovisual programs furnished with a recording means. This alternative makes it possible to acquire and to use such an appliance while reducing the acquisition fee thereof for the user.
The invention also affords advertisers a new means of broadcasting their advertising messages. Moreover, when the users use the receiver normally and view the advertising messages, the advertisers potentially know in advance the quantity of messages viewed and the number of users reached by the messages.